Disposable sheet style dispensers are well known in the art for dispensing individual folded sheet products such as facial tissues, hand sheets, or the like. In general, disposable sheet dispensers typically include a container and a stack or clip of pre-folded, interfolded sheets disposed within the container. The sheets may be C-folded, V-folded, or flat so that once the top sheet in the clip is withdrawn, the underlying sheet is individually presented for subsequent use.
With one type of conventional product, a number of sheets are offered for sale in an interfolded format. The sheets are formed by unwinding two base rolls, perforating the sheets, and then interfolding the sheets into uniform stacks. The stacks of connected, perforated sheets are then loaded into corrugated cartons that allow for easy sheet access. In use, the sheets are dispensed through a fairly large oval or a smaller slit opening that is typically centrally located in the top panel of the carton.
To access the sheets, the user reaches into the carton through the opening to access the top sheet. The user then pulls the top sheet through the opening. Due to the sheets being connected at perforation tabs and interfolded one after another, the first sheet ideally pulls the second sheet to an accessible point and then breaks away from the second sheet. However, due to variability in the dimensions of the sheets, non-woven structure variability, size of perforation tabs, individual user xe2x80x9cgrasp and pullxe2x80x9d methods, etc., continuous pulling of one sheet after another is typically not achieved. Additionally, these problems can also be present even if the sheets are not perforated but are simply interfolded one after another.
One of the more common problems found in disposable sheet dispensers concerns the issue of xe2x80x9cfall backxe2x80x9d. This involves a situation where a following sheet drops back through the dispensing slot after the leading sheet has been withdrawn.
Another common problem among disposable sheet dispensers involves the issue of xe2x80x9cdouble pullxe2x80x9d. This occurs when more than one sheet comes out when the leading sheet is withdrawn. Additionally, the problem of xe2x80x9cstreamingxe2x80x9d can occur in disposable sheet dispensers. Streaming occurs when the user pulls the first sheet out, and subsequent sheets are also withdrawn, with separation of the following ones never occurring.
To overcome some of these problems, disposable sheet dispensers have been designed where the dispensing slot is a slit. Although slit shaped dispensing slots have worked well in eliminating some of these problems, they have inherent disadvantages. For instance, a pinch point is created on either end of a slit shaped dispensing slot. Upon dispensing sheets through the slit, the sheets can become wedged in these pinch points and cause the entire dispenser to be lifted into the air when one is trying to remove a sheet from the dispenser. Additionally, these pinch points can interfere with the dispensing of a sheet from the dispenser such that the sheet is caught on one or more pinch points which cause the sheet to tear.
Several designs are present for a dispensing slot used in a flexible disposable sheet dispenser. A flexible disposable sheet dispenser is different from a typical carton disposable sheet dispenser in that the flexible disposable sheet dispenser has walls that are not typically rigid. Also, the entire flexible disposable sheet dispenser typically takes the shape of the stack of disposable sheets within the flexible disposable sheet dispenser. The dispensing slot may be a slit as previously mentioned, or may be a hole. A slit is distinguished from a hole due to the area of the opening of the dispensing slot. In some instance, a slit may simply be a cut in the dispenser without removing any portion of the wall of the dispenser, while a hole is an opening in the dispenser that has a portion of the wall removed. However, slits may sometimes be openings that have a portion of the wall removed much like a hole. The slits used in flexible disposable sheet dispensers create pinch points. These pinch points create dispensing problems for the sheets as they are removed from the flexible disposable sheet dispenser.
A need in the art exists for a flexible disposable sheet dispenser that eliminates these problems and improves the performance of past flexible disposable sheet dispensers.
Features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for a dispenser for dispensing interfolded disposable sheets. The dispenser includes a flexible dispensing container that is configured to house the stack of interfolded disposable sheets. At least one side wall of the flexible dispensing container is flexible. The flexible dispensing container has a slit in one side from which sheets are dispensed. The flexible dispensing container also has an end slit on at least one end of the slit. The end slit is configured to aid in the dispensing of the interfolded disposable sheets.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a dispenser for dispensing interfolded sheets that has a flexible dispensing container. The flexible dispensing container has a support wall that is configured for supporting a stack of interfolded disposable sheets. The support wall is contiguous with four side walls. The flexible dispensing container has a dispensing wall that is contiguous with the side walls. The dispensing wall has a slit with an end slit on at least one end of the slit. At least one of the walls is flexible. Also, the stack of interfolded disposable sheets are disposed within the flexible dispensing container and are supported by the support wall. The stack of interfolded disposable sheets are dispensed from the flexible dispensing container through the slit.
An additional exemplary embodiment of the present invention is provided that includes a dispenser for dispensing interfolded disposable sheets having a flexible dispensing container. The flexible dispensing container has a support wall that is configured for supporting a stack of interfolded disposable sheets. The support wall is contiguous with four side walls. Two of the side walls are of the same size and shape, and the other two of the side walls are of the same size and shape. A dispensing wall is contiguous with the side walls. The dispensing wall and the support wall are of the same size and shape. The dispensing wall has a slit located in substantially the center of the dispensing wall. The dispensing wall has end slits on either side of the slit, and all of the walls are flexible. Also, the stack of interfolded disposable sheets are disposed within the flexible dispensing container and are supported by the support wall. The stack of interfolded sheets are dispensed from the flexible dispensing container through the slit.
Alternatively, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention exists in a dispenser as discussed above where the slit is substantially a straight line, and the end slit is a substantially straight line substantially perpendicular to the slit.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention exists in a dispenser as discussed above where the slit is substantially a straight line and the end slit is angular in shape.
In addition, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is provided in a dispenser as discussed above where the slit is substantially a straight line and the end slit has a curved portion.
Also provided in accordance with the present invention is an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser as discussed above where the slit has at least one curved portion and the end slit has a curved portion.
Also included in the present invention is an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser as discussed above where the slit is substantially a straight line and the end slit has at least two curved portions.
The present invention also includes an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser as discussed above where the flexible dispensing container has end slits on either end of the slit.